146 
MANUFACTURE  OF  BALSAM  OF  PERU. 
ters  describing  it  to  be  obtained  by  boiling  the  bark  and  branches, 
or  else  by  destructive  distillation  like  tar,  and  two  other3 
naming  four  species  of  Myroxylon  as  being  probably  employed 
to  yield  it. 
Dr.  Dorat,  with  whom  I  have^interchanged  letters  occasion- 
ally for  some  years,  and  from  whom  I  recently  requested  infor- 
mation upon  certain  points  connected  with  the  history  of  Bal- 
sam of  Peru,  thus  replies  to  the  inquiries  contained  in  my  last 
letter. 
"  As  I  presume  that  you  are  writing  a  description  of  the  Balsam-tree, 
I  send  you  by  return  steamer  the  required  answers  to  your  questions,  to- 
gether with  a  specimen  of  the  naturally-exuded  resin,  and  a  few  beetles 
which  are  invariably  found  under  any  part  of  the  decayed  bark  of  the 
Nyrospermum*  That  no  possible  mistake  might  exist  on  my  part,  I  rode 
to  Juisnagua,  it  being  still  the  collecting  season,  and  took  a  sketch  of 
the  process,  which,  with  a  verbal  description,  will,  I  trust  make  all  clear 
to  you. 
Now  to  answer  your  questions  : — as  to  the  natural  or  spontaneous  exu- 
dation. In  young  trees,  say,  until  the  sixth  or  eighth  year  I  have  never 
seen  any.  After  that  age  a  greenish  resin  is  frequently  found  during  the 
summer  months  on  the  northern  side  of  the  trees  when  they  are  at  rest, 
that  is  from  December  to  May.  It  is  at  first  frothy  and  of  a  pale  yellow 
color,  but  as  it  becomes  hard  it  changes  to  green.  It  occurs  in  small 
quantities  and  is  difficult  to  get  clean,  as  it  is  very  sticky.  It  has  a  slight- 
ly bitter  taste,  but  no  aroma.  The  Indians  consider  that  the  trees  which 
produce  much  of  it  yield  an  inferior  balsam.  This,  however,  is  only  one 
of  their  many  superstitions  concerning  these  trees.  The  largest  quantity 
I  have  myself  seen  was  upon  a  very  old  tree  ;  it  appeared  in  large  tears 
lying  one  over  the  other,  almost  like  grapes. 
Early  in  the  months  of  November  or  December,  or  after  the  last  rains, 
the  balsam-trees  are  beaten  on  four  sides  of  their  stems  with  the  back  of 
an  axe,  a  hammer,  or  other  blunt  instrument  until  the  bark  is  loosened, 
four  intermediate  strips  being  left  untouched  that  the  tree  may  not  be  in- 
jured for  the  next  year.  Five  or  six  days  after,  men  with  resinous  torch- 
es, or  bundles  of  lighted  wood  apply  heat  to  the  beaten  bark,  which  be- 
comes charred.  It  is  left  eight  days,  during  which  the  burnt  pieces  of  bark 
either  fall  or  are  taken  off.  As  soon  as  they  perceive  that  the  bare  places 
are  moist  with  the  exuding  balsam,  which  takes  place  in  a  few  days, 
pieces  of  rag  (of  any  kind  of  color)  are  placed  so  as  entirely  to  cover  the 
bare  wood.  As  these  become  saturated  with  the  balsam,  which  is  of 
a  light  yellowish  color,  they  are  collected  and  thrown  into  an  earthenware 
*  Mr.  Francis  Walker,  who  has  been  good  enough  to  examine  this  in- 
sect, considers  it  identical  with  the  Passalus  interstUialis  of  Percheron. 
